For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 8, 2001

Remarks by the President Departure on Vote in the House of Representatives on Tax Relief Plan
The South Grounds

2:35 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: In a couple hours, the House of Representatives will be voting on tax relief. I'm confident they'll do the right thing. The message is loud and clear that we've got ample revenues to fund our priorities, to pay down debt, to set aside money for a contingency, and ample revenues to send money back to the people who pay the bills, the taxpayers.

I strongly believe, and I hope the House of Representatives sends the message, that the people of America are over-taxed and deserve a refund.

I'm looking forward to hearing the verdict of the vote. I'm also looking forward to continuing my trip around the country. We're off to North Dakota and South Dakota and Louisiana, and the message is the same: When you have a President and a Congress that works together to set priorities, to set the focus of the country on important matters when it comes to spending, when we stop the growth, the rapid escalation of the growth of the federal budget, we can meet priorities and have meaningful, real tax relief.

And it's needed. It's needed not only to provide a kick-start to our economy, it is needed because many Americans today are struggling to make ends meet. And so I'm confident the Congress will do the right thing.

Thank you all very much.

END 2:37 P.M. EST